


Who We Are

by Kayim



Series: Who We Are (Avengers Crossovers) [1]
Category: Fantastic Four (Movieverse), Marvel Avengers Movies Universe
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-31
Updated: 2012-08-31
Packaged: 2017-11-13 06:13:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/500380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kayim/pseuds/Kayim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>By the time Steve Rogers finally came face-to-face with the Fantastic Four, the startling physical similarities between Steve and Johnny Storm were common knowledge to everyone.</p>
<p>Well, almost everyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who We Are

_"Look in a mirror and one thing's sure; what we see is not who we are."  
\-- Richard Bach_

 

By the time Steve Rogers finally came face-to-face with the Fantastic Four, the startling physical similarities between Steve and Johnny Storm were common knowledge to everyone.

Well, almost everyone.

* * * * * * *

During the battle, Steve had very little interaction with the fire-engulfed young man, other than to acknowledge that he was almost as brash and headstrong as Tony Stark.

"Hah! That's three to me, Iron Pensioner," Johnny crowed as he blasted another of Doom's mini-bots into pieces. Steve mentally checked another one of the bots off in his head, knowing that as soon as Tony heard the boast, he'd focus all of his attention on equalling the score. It didn't matter that this wasn't a competition between the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, or even between Iron Man and Human Torch. As far as the two flying superheroes were concerned, it was just a continuation of the ongoing contest that they'd had going for years.

Sure enough, less than a minute later and the 'bot closest to Steve exploded into a thousand shards. As white-hot metal fragments showered down over him, forcing him to use his shield as protection, he heard Tony's voice over the comm. "Oops, sorry about that, Cap," he said, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. "But that's three all, Fire Bug. And there's only one left."

Doctor Doom apparently had an obsession with building robots to attack New York. There was a history between this particular madman and the Fantastic Four, and the 'bots this time had been let loose in the foyer of the newly rebuilt – and renamed – Avengers Tower, which was why the two teams were working together.

Steve shook his head and focused his attention on the last of the machines. Taking a moment to judge the distance and the angles, he spun his shield in a perfect arc, slicing off the top of the 'bot's head and returning to his hand less than three seconds later.

"And that's four to me," he said calmly, smiling as he pictured the matching expressions on Tony and Johnny's faces. "I guess I win."

Tony flew in front of him, throwing a mock salute as he passed, while Johnny's laugh echoed in his ear. "Guess you do, Cap. Which means you're buying the first round."

* * * * * * *

Buying the first round wasn't actually a necessity, as Avengers Tower was stocked with every possible drink that Tony could get his hands on, and enough chairs, couches and bean bags that there were no issues with everyone hanging out together. Even Ben Grimm felt comfortable enough in the Tower, thanks to the Hulk-proofing that had been done in the refit.

Steve was the last one to arrive, having stayed behind on the ground to co-ordinate SHIELD and civilian rescue services. He rode the elevator to the 69th floor – he'd blushed scarlet the first time Tony explained why he'd picked that particular floor number to house the Avengers – in silence. He pushed his cowl down and leant his head back against the cool mirrored wall. 

It had taken him a while to learn to fight alongside other people, and just when he'd started to get used to it, here were another four individuals, with even more different styles and behaviours and quirks. Reed had reminded him of Bruce, but a lot more distracted by his thoughts. He was so completely focused on the science that he seemed to almost forget what he was doing during the fight. Ben had the strength and the sheer power of Bruce's alter-ego, but with a loyalty and protectiveness that the Hulk hadn't yet learned. Sue was an enigma, almost entirely defensive in her ability and yet the one they all deferred to as the leader. But it was the youngest member of their team that had intrigued Steve most.

Johnny was a force of nature, his fiery persona matched by his ability. Even during the worst of the battle, his constant banter seemed to keep them all smiling, despite the havoc that was being caused. He flew overhead, performing somersaults and twists as though he was in a flight display rather than a fight, but never once missed his target, or endangered an ally. His infectious laughter had reminded Steve almost painfully of Bucky.

"Would you like a moment, Captain Rogers?" JARVIS's voice snapped Steve from his blossoming melancholy, and he realised that the elevator had come to a stop. With more awareness than a computer should have, the AI had kept the doors closed, allowing Steve a moment to regain his composure before facing the rest of the team.

He took a deep breath and shook the thoughts from his mind. "I'm fine, JARVIS, thank you."

The doors opened and he stepped out.

"Man of the match!" Tony shouted across the room, waving an expensive-looking beer around. "I thought you'd deserted us."

"Just arranging clean-up," Steve replied, taking the glass bottle of Coke that Bruce held out to him. When he'd complained to Tony that Coke tasted different now, the billionaire had made sure that only the classic style bottles were bought for the Tower. Steve wasn't 100% convinced that it was the drink container that made the difference, but he did agree that it tasted closer to what he remembered.

He was about to say something about the mess that the mini-bots had left in the foyer, but when Johnny Storm, completely un-flamed, walked towards him with his hand out, Steve lost all trains of thought.

"Good to finally meet you in person," Johnny said, the genuine smile radiant on his face. "I've been looking forward to this for a while."

But Steve barely heard the words. He suddenly felt as though he was staring into a magical mirror, looking at a younger version of himself.

The hair was different, and Johnny was slender and wiry where Steve was all muscle, but there was no ignoring the similarity between them.

"Oh." Johnny's hand dropped down to his side and the smile fell away. "I guess no one warned you, did they?"

"They knew?"

Johnny nodded. "I've been teased about it for years. The first time Sue watched one of those propaganda movies, she thought it was hysterical."

"But how?" Steve usually liked to pride himself on finding the right words for the right situation, offering inspiring words at opportune moments. But right now, his mind was limited to single syllable words.

"Best we can figure is some time-travelling dude went back to 1940 and hooked up with... Ow!"

Johnny clutched the back of his head as his sister faded into view. "I'm sorry about him, Captain," she said with a smile. "I'd hoped he would manage to be slightly more mature than usual, but that was obviously too much to hope for."

Steve noticed the way she looked at his younger reflection. The obvious disappointment combined with a strange look of pride that only an older sibling could pull off. She turned back to Johnny. "Now stop teasing the nice super-soldier and tell him the truth."

"Spoilsport," he muttered under his breath as Sue turned around and left them. "The truth is that I don't know what happened. I was adopted by the Storm's when I was still a baby. The story is that I'd been left on the steps of the hospital, wrapped in a blanket. I don't know how true that is, but since they're both dead, I guess I won't ever find out."

"I certainly didn't.... I mean... You're not my..."

Johnny's face broke into a grin and he laughed. "Oh man, you think I'm your son or something? That's priceless."

This time Steve detected the minute shimmer in the air as Sue's invisible hand slapped Johnny again. She didn't appear this time, but Steve knew that she was listening to the whole conversation, and he felt himself flush.

He concentrated on the possibilities, playing the scenarios over in his mind. "I don't have any siblings," he said out loud. "But I have... had... several cousins. I guess it's possible that you could be related to one of them."

Steve saw the look of disappointment that flashed across the younger man's face and realised that he'd possibly been waiting his whole life to find some kind of answers about his biological family, only to have Steve dismiss it.

"That's cool," he said, shrugging as though it didn't make any difference to him, and Steve felt the temperature rise a few degrees as Johnny forced a smile onto his face.

Reaching out, Steve placed his hand on Johnny's shoulder, ignoring the heat emanating from him. "You know what though?" he said with a smile. "No matter how distant it might be, I think it's pretty clear that we _are_ related."

He watched as Johnny's fake smile evolved into a genuine one and the heat withdrew. "You mean it?" he asked, sounding a little younger and more vulnerable than he had done since Steve met him.

Steve nodded. "Family's family. And I don't have that much of it left." 

He pulled Johnny into a hug. In his ear he heard a soft whispered "thank you" from Sue, and he knew he'd found more than just one distant relative.

* * * * * * *

Steve made sure to call Johnny once a week, just to catch up. He learnt about the Storms, and how Sue was possibly the best big sister any superhero could have, despite the head-slaps and the inappropriate public displays of affection with Reed. In exchange, he found someone that wasn't only willing to listen to stories of Steve's childhood, but someone who actively sought them out.

And if, on the occasions the Avengers and the Fantastic Four fought alongside each other, Steve was a little more protective of Johnny than was completely unbiased, no one on either team would ever dare say a word.


End file.
